What is the Distance and Driving Time from Phoenix to Las Vegas?

By Steve Beauregard

They are the two largest connecting cities in the United States without an Interstate: Phoenix, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada.

As a result, the distance between the two, 297 miles (or 478 kilometers), takes over four and a half hours to drive. However a new section of interstate is currently being built and once completed, will reduce this drive by a 1/2 hour. (More on that below).

As it stands now, the majority of the route is spent on U.S. Route 93, a two lane road that can seem excruciating long on a good day – even longer if you get stuck behind someone going very slow.

The road winds north and west through the desert, through vast expanses of nothingness, including even an abandoned town named “Nothing.”

The drive from Phoenix to Las Vegas has you crossing this scenic bridge by Hoover Dam

It passes through other small towns, like Kingman, and almost touches the Hoover Dam before leading to Las Vegas.

Driving Time and Directions from Phoenix to Las Vegas

You start out leaving Phoenix on US Route 60, going northwest out of town. It’s officially called the Phoenix-Wickenburg Highway.

(The map below shows you the driving route from Phoenix “A” to Las Vegas “B”)

Just about an hour away, or 65 miles, you’ll reach the tiny town of Wickenburg. You’ll want to stay in your right lane. Shortly after the McDonalds, you’ll stay in the right lane as it meanders to the right, under signage that points you to “North 93.”

The next forty miles consists of a desolate two lane road. (It does have three lanes in some sections). Some people have described it as what it must have been like driving in the 1940’s.

Road to Nothing?

At about eight miles before you get to a dusty rest stop called “Nothing,” the road because a separated, four lane highway, with lanes going in each direction, speeding up things a bit and making drivers (at least me anyway), feel a little safer.

But even in those stretches of just two lanes, the road, fortunately, is often desolate at times, giving you ample opportunities to pass. In addition, the speed limit for almost all of the way (except for when entering small towns), is 65 miles per hour.